sympathy for the devil
by ink.bird
Summary: What is it with every vampire in the country gravitating to Mystic Falls? He's been around long enough to know that it's not all that and a bucket of giggles. "Isobel" Damon's POV. rated for language.


His first reaction is—not surprisingly—uh, wtshit. Because seriously? What is it with every vampire in the country gravitating to Mystic Falls? He's been around long enough to know that it's really not all that and a bucket of giggles. Each generation produces the same jocks, geeks and hotties that have the same drama, sex and bores as their parents. Well... ok, maybe the sex is a little more raunchy and desperate. Whatever. Poh-tay-toe, poh-tah-toe. But in the end it's a little town trapped in the same endless cycle of boredom every year. Which, apparently, is like catnip to vampires. Who knew?

His second reaction is—unfortunately—_Elena_. Because he's seen each reaction on her face when she found out all the little truths about her birth mother, and he thinks that if he has to see that girl go through the cycle of hopes rising and failing one more time, he might actually start feeling something for someone other than himself. Which is a big—_uh, fuck no._ But apparently his wee little dead heart has already attached itself to her and Christ, isn't that the kicker. He knows this meeting is bad idea and it's the last thing he thinks she should do—besides date Saint Stefan, obviously—but apparently killing sprees are still on the list of Moral No-No's, and really? Since when has Elena ever done what's in _her_ best interests?

So they settle on a time, The History Teacher sets the meeting, and he watches as the young woman slowly works herself into a nervous frenzy. He manages to corner her at once point while Stefan and The Teacher talk in low voices, telling her, "You won't be alone." He feels his ego hum a bit as her nervous energy settles and she smiles up at him, replying, "I know. Stefan will be with me."

...well, fine then.

Surprisingly, the fact that Brother Dearest is inside playing Watchdog doesn't settle him at all. Stefan might be older than Isobel, but she's been feeding on something other than Bambi and Thumper for her entire un-life. Not to mention, judging by her attitude for this little soap opera thus far, Isobel won't have a problem with slaughtering an entire restaurant full of people if it comes down to it. Edge—vamp-bitch the second. So he paces and snarks and fills Ric in on all the joys of vampire humanity, or the distinct lack thereof, and it's exactly times like these that he wishes he would just do it. Do what Isobel did and just flip the switch and forget all these annoying human emotions like anxiety and powerlessness. All of which double and triple the minute Elena and her loyal sidekick step out of the diner and he sees the bruises on her wrist and the tear tracks on her cheeks. He figures it wouldn't be terribly out of character for him to tear apart his little brother, but the timing might make them think he cares or something. And, _pft, yeah right._ So he decides he'll wait 'til later when more shit hits the fan and he can blame it on something like John or Katherine.

Besides, he has some of his own badassery to attend to at the moment.

Despite all the secrecy that goes into leading the life of a vampire, it's really not that hard to find one when you want to. Not to mention he taught her pretty much everything she knows. However, he totally has to give her points when her wicked little sidekick opens the door decked out in something that's all lace and leather and that usually only appears in Victoria's Secret or European porn. Dead or alive, Damon is all man and a man's got needs—side mission of promising vengeance set aside only momentarily—and he'd have to be Stefan to give up an opportunity like this. So doesn't he hate Isobel even more when she shows up just as things are beginning to look naked. Bitch. Even so, he's on a mission so he supposes he should thank her; if it wasn't for the fact that everything about her made Elena miserable and she was working with that annoying jackass who just refused to _roll over and die, already_. And doesn't he hate her _even more _when he finds out she's working for vamp-bitch the first.

Instinct takes over which is momentarily confusing because she's such a smarmy little twit and it makes him want to tear her face off, but at the same time, Damon is nothing if not a sensual creature. He thrives on pleasure in all forms and before him is one of the few people (_living or not_) that could match him push for pull. Pun totally intended. But even with her lithe body on top of him and his _very_ creative imagination, the smell of peaches isn't there and it's all _ElenaElenaElena_ and does this little whelp actually think she can manipulate _him_? Damon Salvatore? Her very _maker_? Oh, _fuck no._

And he doesn't give a shit if Ric is still pining for her or if she's _just the messenger_, no one uses him or the people he cares about and lives (_exists, whatever_) to tell about it, "Bad move." And he's more than just pissed for Elena, he's pissed for _himself_. Because the woman who, for centuries!, he was convinced was the love of his life and afterlife, is interested in everything going on _around him_, and he's not too proud to admit that the blow to his ego fucking hurts. And this little tramp just waltzes into town and thinks she can wrap him around her finger based on a name? Fuck that noise. And it's not just her—it's everyone lately—so it's time that he showed these little pukes just exactly who they're dealing with.

He figures he had gotten his message through pretty clearly, so when Elena shows up with her Merry Band of Followers, he's more than a little irritated to find that Isobel is still stirring the damn pot. He's also more than a little concerned because apparently Stefan has finally passed on the Crazy to his girlfriend—and himself. Awesome. Since he's pretty sure the last thing that is good for him is to let the town's resident witch (_who he tried to kill and also had a slightly indirect hand in the death of her grandmother)_ start casting Abracadabra over a device that is _direct_ threat to his existence then hand it over to someone (_else_) who clearly wants him dead. So, no? But then she looks up at him with those eyes and is all, "You can trust me!" and shit, he didn't think he'd be convinced that easily. He should probably look into that. He hands over the invention with little more than a sigh and an eye roll, and when his fingers curl momentarily around hers, he ignores Brother Dearest's questioning stare and focuses on Elena's warmth and her soft eyes staring up into his as she thanks him.

He's not broody and restrained in his anger like Stefan is, so he tears apart his room—twice—as Elphaba sets up her witchy do-hickeys. Personally, he's not impressed (_or convinced_) by the whole show. Flickering lights and roaring fire, really? Not to mention, Bonnie is no Emily. Sure she sends books flying around the room and she can hack into a switch box with her mind, but taking a centuries-old spell off a just-as-old instrument should take more energy and longer than a whopping twenty-four seconds. So in the time between the _spell-be-gone_ and when the next meeting is to take place, Damon tears his room apart another three times. Just for kicks.

He's managed to put it back together just in time for Elena to appear in his doorway. It's not the way he's imagined it—but, hey. Beggars can't be choosers. Then she totally goes and throws him off his game by looking up at him the same way she had downstairs, asking, "Will you come with me?" He'd planned to even if she hadn't asked him, but the fact that she did makes him smile for a brief moment before he covers it with a bored look and a shrug, "Not like I have anything else planned for this grand evening." She completely spins his head around when she smiles shyly before darting forward to hug him tightly. He has enough time to reciprocate for a whole two and a half seconds before she's darted back downstairs to her knight in broody armour—leaving him dazed and his room smelling of peaches.

She is entirely silent on the way to the park and refuses to latch onto anyone for comfort. When they approach the meeting point, she gives them a weak smile before striding forward determinedly. He rolls his eyes as Stefan gazes after her before whapping him over the head and leading him to somewhere more covered. Elena manages to surprise him almost every day, but he can't say he's been proud of her until this moment—watching her face down her vampire mother and demand proof of her brother's safety, regardless of her own. Again. She's probably the most strong-willed and selfless person he knows, which is saying something considering how long he's been around, and it just serves as yet another reminder of how distinctly _not_-Katherine she is, and how distinctly _not_-good he is for her.

Like The History Teacher, Elena is still searching for that bit of humanity inside the woman who birthed her, except Damon's chest never ached over Alaric's bitter disappointment. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have mattered to him anyways, because as soon as she lets the cat out of the locked and secured safe buried under-freaking-ground, she moves to the number one spot of his Immediate Hit List. He can feel the agitation coming of his brother in waves, but all his attention is focused on Elena and her expression of surprise. Really? Even after Atlanta, and that stupid dance, and looking after her when she refused to leave their house because of his stupid brother, and the touchy-feely, and not killing anyone in _how fucking long_ and _really_? She's still not getting it? Oh, Elena...

The moment passes as he and his brother watch the instrument that is still most likely going to kill them one day pass into the hands of the biggest cow in the immediate vicinity. The ache in his chest grows as Elena's strong facade begins to crack while Isobel gives her one final, unimpressed look before walking away for (_what is hopefully, for Christ's sake_) the last time. Stefan steps up to his rightful place in time to catch the young woman as she turns and practically falls into his arms, trembling. He can read neither the look that Elena gives him nor the one his brother does, so he leaves the lovers to each other before taking off from the park and back to the boarding house. He knows his place; for now.

He's on his sixth glass by the time Baby Brother gets home—not that it really makes a difference at this stage in his unlife. He can still practically _hear_ the unrest in his brother and he's still a glib, sarcastic ass. Or at least he hopes he comes off that way. Stefan has recently developed this annoying habit of being able to read him better than he used to. He knows what's coming, and its history repeating so it really shouldn't hurt this much because why is it always _him_ that gets the short end of the fucking stick and huh. Maybe the booze is affecting him more than he thought. Especially when he straight up admits that Elena is his one friend—not that he's ashamed of that—just a little unsettled that he didn't put up much of a fight letting it out into the open. Stefan gets all uppity and jealous and he finds it not-so-amusing, mostly because he's hitting everything right on the end, so he pulls out his last trump card that will swing the spotlight off of him once again, "About John..."

And seriously? What is it with these two about not being able to see the blatantly obvious right in front of them? At least that's one thing that makes them compatible. And as much as Stefan will think he's just being a total ass (_as is usually... per usual_), he's doing it so he won't have to see that look on Elena's face. The one where her eyes get wide and her jaw drops ever so slightly, then her skins pales and she looks like she's about to vomit. Because he doesn't want to be that person to her. He wants to be the guy who (_after he stopped killing innocent people_) makes her laugh with inappropriate comments about Stefan, roll her eyes when she tries to be stern and totally fails, forget that the reason she was on the phone in the first place was to talk to her boyfriend. He wants her to remember when he took her to Atlanta after saving her life and having a good time with him _without_ any compelling or vervain, and when he stepped up to be the good brother when her boyfriend bailed to go suck on some human, and that he _smiled_ when he_ danced_ with her, and shit he needs another drink.

He also doesn't think he's ever been more serious when he tells his brother, "I'm here for her" and he's ninety-nine percent sure that Stefan knows it. With what he's been through and put up with, he seriously thinks that it's his turn to get the girl. And if not, well it fucking blows, but if Saint Stefan makes her happy he'll just have to find something stronger than alcohol and deal with it. Because he can't say no to those warm eyes and soft voice, even if he is the badass brother with a heart of ice. So he's not the leading man, big deal. Until the day that Elena tells him to bite the dust, Damon will protect her and God help anyone who tries to do otherwise. Now all he needs is some bourbon to get him through this whole shitstorm...

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A/N:

So, just "Isobel" from Damon's perspective. Who else is excited for the season finale?

First things first! I wrote this all in one go, so if there's any mistakes, blame the fact that it's now 5:30 in the morning and I'm still awake. Woo. If there's any super huge, obvious errors, I will go back and edit this. Secondly! I hate the ending of this so much. I had no idea how to end it except to make Damon go drink some more. Which I figure is kind of in-character? Whatever. And speaking of character! If the style of this kinda seems swingy and changes rapidly, I kind of did that on purpose. Kind of. The way I see it, Damon is a very instinctual person/vampire/whatever. He does what he wants for his own reasons and though it doesn't really seem like it outwardly, I think he reacts very strongly with his emotions. Though he covers it with a lot of snark and sarcasm. I didn't go totally overboard with in-depth emotions and feelings cause as far as I can tell, Damon doesn't hide a lot. Except for his lurve for Elena. Duh. Other than that, he pretty much says it how it is. I'm rambling... next!

Actually I think that's it. All I ask is that you be kind and review!  
Ta for now!

**Disclaimer:** no.  
(too lazy to be witty. next time, promise.)


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